UN Climate Change report - Code Red

I don’t think you can upgrade existing lines. And we have to move transport away from roads and onto the railways. It isn’t about making train journeys faster but taking stuff away from our congested roads. Our railway system is archaic because, unlike a lot of Europe it wasn’t blown up during the war.

In 1980 my late brother-in-law visited me and we spent an evening chatting about CFCs and he was very knowledgeable and informative about other things that were having an adverse effect on the environment. He was so passionate and concerned that he told me he had made the decision not to have children. That evening’s discussion convinced me I needed to do more research for myself with the upshot that I became much more committed to living sustainably.

If I were to give details it would ‘out’ him, but my husband’s work has a hugely beneficial impact on the environment and he’s been a massive inspiration to me in the example he’s set in regard to living sustainably. When we first became a couple he told me his motto was, ‘use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without’ and he has always ‘walked the talk’ himself.

There is a book by Ruth Valerio called ‘L is for Lifestyle’, which, although aimed at Christians, is full of practical advice for making small changes that make a difference, I recommend.
it.

I agree that the prospect of yet more climatic emergencies is frightening. Even with everyone doing their small amount to reduce wastage, drive electric cars, recycling, taking fewer trips by plane, etc, it barely touches on the problem.
It needs actual, drastic and unpopular action from governments instead of 'pledges' and making fine sounding speeches.

But I am pessimistic. As a species, we are too used to eating the out of season foods we like, taking foreign holidays and having multiple cars per household. You only need look at the outrage when foreign travel was banned, to see what would happen if we were told to drastically change our comfortable way of life.

Please don't come back at me with 'but what about....(people who don't have foreign holidays or own multiple cars etc). There will always be people to whom this doesn't apply. I'm talking about the majority of people in richer western countries.

The destruction of the Amazon rain forest needs to stop, far more trees should be planted, and as others have said, fire breaks, strengthening of flood barriers and other land management projects.

I just hope that this report is the catalyst needed for real action to be taken, but as I've said, I'm not optimistic about it and I fear for my grandchildren.

I always read labels and as an example avoid peanut butter with palm oil. I remember reading how much forest was destroyed on a daily basis for palm oil development and how many orangutans were killed. Shocking.